Our sideline cheering and support this week is focused on the PHS students competing in the 2017 DECA International Competition, being held in Anaheim, CA.

The seven PHS students are joining 18,000 others from all 50 US states, as well as Canada, China, Germany, Guam, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain.

Quaker students will be competing in the following events:

Elizabeth Bowman is a 1st place qualifier in the Retail and Merchandising Marketing event

Blake Shea and Andrew Zoss qualified 4th in the Financial Service event

Navdeep Lidher scored 85% or higher on both role play and test, qualifying to compete in Accounting while representing PHS DECA in the Thrive Leadership Academy*

Emma Shoultz is competing in the Business Service Marketing event and is representing PHS DECA in Thrive Leadership Academy*

Natalie Gulley is competing in the Marketing Communications Event and is representing PHS DECA in the Thrive Leadership Academy*

Paul Planker was elected President of Indiana/District 8. This honor allows him to attend the Empower Academy** to receive officer training for his newly-earned position, which will span the 2017-2018 school year.

* Thrive Leadership Academy is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to move their local chapter to the next level. Eligibility is based on achievement in the DECA Chapter Campaigns

** Empower Academy works with DECA association officers to help them hone the skills needed in their new role, as well as how to design an effective strategic plan and improve communications strategies and methods.

These students may well be future corporation executives, entrepreneurs, financial tycoons or even politicians, and the experiences they'll gain during the DECA International Competition will be vital, regardless of their career choices. We wish them all well in their events!

And as you can see from this photo, the students and their sponsor, Miss Megan Craft, are very grateful to their sponsors, without whose help the cost of the trip would have been prohibitive. Once again, we are reminded of the generosity of our Plainfield community!